A near miss is more than an event with no injury. It is a chance to understand how work conditions, decisions and barriers lined up—and what could reduce the chance or severity of recurrence.
Make it easy to speak up
Respond promptly and fairly. Thank the people who report the event. Focus early attention on immediate hazards and support, then preserve useful information while the details are fresh.
Build a picture, not a culprit
Talk with the people involved and observe the work context. Ask what happened before the event, what made the action seem reasonable at the time, what controls were expected and what actually happened. Consider workload, equipment, communication, layout, procedures and simultaneous work.
Separate facts from assumptions. Avoid treating “carelessness” as a complete explanation; it rarely tells you why the conditions made an error possible or what change would help.
Strengthen barriers
Choose actions that address underlying conditions and are practical to sustain. Prefer eliminating or engineering out exposure where feasible; support administrative steps with clear ownership and verification. Share what was learned with affected teams and follow up to see whether the change works.
Protect privacy and follow applicable reporting duties and your organisation’s investigation process.
Safety note: This is general educational material and not legal or site-specific advice.